A place that discusses classic and contemporary horror films as well as horror related topics.

Monday, February 16, 2015

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

Directed by: Jack Sholder

Release Date: 1985

I've dipped into re-watching this series and I'll be posting a review (there aren't many left so I'll have to get through many series to keep it going!) from the series until I'm done. Well, the ones I haven't written about anyway.

This sequel is my least favorite. It's the only film that didn't follow the rules laid out in the first film. Freddy kills you while you're dreaming. But Freddy depicted in this film as sort of a crazed monster randomly slashing teenagers rang so false, the pool party scene makes me cringe every time I think about it.

However, there are some great gems in this film, other than having all these sexual undertones I never noticed as an adolescent.
The first thing I noticed about this film was the color. Red, red, red, was everywhere - like The Sixth Sense. It was used as a gateway to illustrate the future of death. The sister putting on the red fingernails resembling claws at the beginning of the film was also a nice touch.
Our homeboy, Jesse's future friend (lover? haha) Grady (bully from Weird Science) is introduced with red shorts. Coach Schneider who frequents gay bars is also wearing a red shirt the first time we meet him. And of course, the door to the house is red. I can't look at red doors the same because of this series! At some point, his father wears red, there's red lighting in the gym when Jesse runs laps, and Jesse has the Red sweats during a nightmare.
Some of the effects in the film I liked and also couldn't help but notice it's cheesiness (it was the eighties after all). The eyeball seen in Jesse's open mouth impressed me and after learning how the effect was created, I admired this scene even more. Freddy jumping up through the ground in the pool party scene made me laugh out loud because of it's absurdity. And lastly, Jesse's transformation to Freddy is cringeworthy but believable enough that I could forgive the eighties effects and suspend disbelief.Great dialogue from everyone around in no particular order:"Mommy, why can't Jesse wake up like everybody else?" (after Jesse's scream is heard upstairs)"Nobody likes a smart ass Jesse." - Dad"He gets his rocks off for stuff like this. Hangs around queers and S &M joints downtown. Likes pretty boys like you." - Grady to Jesse after they have to push ups for fooling around"I need you Jesse. We've got special work here to do you and me. You've got the body and I've got the brain." - Freddy"That's the craziest damn thing I've ever seen. It wasn't even plugged in." After toaster is on fire.Something is trying to get inside my body! - JesseShe's female and she's waiting for you at the cabana and you wanna sleep with me. - Grady"You are all my children now." - FreddyI could go on. This movie although not my favorite is a camp-tastic classic.The obvious homoerotic tones indicating how much Jesse wants to come out of the closet but is petrified to do so. A great touch to reinforce the gay undertones in the movie is created with the following song lyrics:Passion, screams, and lust/We're believers Now/howl at the terror in my heart.The song is playing in the bar when Jesse just happens to sleepwalk there and run into Coach Schneider.Although in the documentary Never Sleeps Again, the director denies any of these undertones, the screenwriter had his intentions and all the elements aligned to make this gay horror film, unintentionally (but maybe intentionally).For those invested with some of the ridiculous quotes, find this film on Netflix or elsewhere. See the trailer below to whet your appetite.

P.S. This review on the film on the Decoder.com has some hilarious GIFs from the movie.P.P.S. This film turns 30 in November! Crazy! Deranged!